Alright motor experts, I need a little help.  I've got a couple of issue with my outboard.  It's a 1990 Suzuki 85hp 2 stroke.

1.  For starters, I know this is dumb, but I can't get the cover off the motor.  It has a little button in the front (facing the stern).  I push the button and a little hinge inside the cover moves back and I'm assuming that is supposed to release the cover.  The problem is that whether I push that button or not, I can only lift the front of the cover a few inches and it gets stuck on something.  I can't lift the back of the cover at all.  Has anyone encountered this and if so, how do I get the stinking cover off?

2.  The last time I had my boat out, it stalled several times, even after it was warmed up.  I have portable gas tanks that have the squeeze bulb that primes the fuel filter.  I would squeeze the bulb and I could see fuel go into the filter and the boat started fine.  After a few minutes of running it, the motor shut off and I noticed that there was no fuel in the filter.  I squeezed the bulb again and then the motor started, but a few minutes later the same thing happened and so on.  The weird thing was that after about an hour on the water, it quit doing it and the motor ran fine except when I shifted to reverse and then back to forward slowly, the motor stalled again.  Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

Can't help you on removing the cover. On the fuel issue, first I'd suggest changing the bulb unless it's brand new.  I usually put new ones on my boat every couple years.

not to insult you, but make sure the vent's on the fuel tanks are open. I did it once so I know it can happen.

sounds like something came loose and is holding the cover.. If you get the cover off you might find the source of problem #2.

If not I would get the cover off before I would try anything,, But It sounds like a fuel problem..By any means I'm no expert just experience in similar problems... I would start from the tank and work toward the motor... check  in this order your tank, fuel line quick connects,bulb,filter,fuel pump,carbs. Mine would do that and I had a small piece of something in my carb high speed orifice that would float around and sometimes would stop up the needle.

I don't know that motor, so you might try a sledgehammer . But for the fuel problem, that sounds ALOT like a plugged filter to me. The motor is probably having a hard time drawing against it. So when you squeeze the bulb, it forces some gas through and fills the line, filter, bowls, etc. After all that gas gets burned up, your fuel pump (electric or gas, i don't know which, but it doesnt matter) can't create the same amount of force that your gorilla grip can with the bulb. Just a thought, but it is a cheap experiment, and it never hurts to put a new filter on even if that isnt the problem.

FB

1.  For starters, I know this is dumb, but I can't get the cover off the motor.  It has a little button in the front (facing the stern).  I push the button and a little hinge inside the cover moves back and I'm assuming that is supposed to release the cover.  The problem is that whether I push that button or not, I can only lift the front of the cover a few inches and it gets stuck on something.

Be sure that's the only latch.  My motor cowling has 3 latches. (one in front and one on each side at rear corners)  The only motor I've had with a single latch was a little 9.9 hp.